Elizabethan collar trouble, can you help

[Tan]

This is great  I will post in the health section for this 

[alisonandarchie]

I have just put an order through to Arnoldsdirect for a bite not collar, can't wait for it to arrive! 

[Beanie]

Milly's Mum makes an important point about saucers. Basically uses any saucer or any round shallow dish which the elizabethan collar can fit over otherwise your cat can nor eat properly which all adds to the frustration.

[Desley (booktigger)]

Good luck - but cats can eat quite well with a collar on, I tend to use saucers, but have had them eat out of bowls with no probs, although I give them time out to eat, they do seem to manage it when I am late and are too busy trying to eat to give me time to get the collar off!!

[alisonandarchie]

  Thanks so much Mark for this info. I am going to order a collar.

[Mark]

I found the link to the shop in the UK

http://www.arnoldsdirect.co.uk/acatalog/bite_not_collars.html

£18.00 doesn't sound too bad

[alisonandarchie]

  Thank you Beanie and Milly's Mum for your helpful advice. I think a bitenot collar will be on my shopping list.

[Mark]

At least the cat can see properly with a bitenot. I will file for (hopefully not) future use - Thanks Beanie.

It looks like a Bling collar 

[Millys Mum]

Feeding on a saucer is easier for some cats, i wouldnt continue with the prawns tho as he will come to expect them! 

You could give him supervised time without the collar to eat but some people have trouble getting the collar back on, so would depend on Archies temperament!

[Beanie]

There is no easy answer to this as all cats hate change and this is not natural to them. You need to give him more fuss and qyuality time as he probably feels he is being penalised. He doesn't understand that it is for his own long term good. I have experienced this with my cats and, particularly, Beanie who had to wear a collar for in excess of 1 year.

There are 2 possibilities to make life easier:

1. Many of the collars are crudelty made but there are collars available with padded trim around the narrow part which fits around the neck. Th very expensive.ese are

2. An alternative but more costly solution is to buy a 'Bite Not' collar. These are made primarily for dogs but increasingly being used for cats. They can be expensive and we paid around £30 but we needed it for longer term use. They fit around the neck leaving the head free but restrict head movement.

The link below is simply intended to let you see what they look for.

http://www.bitenot.com/

[alisonandarchie]

I have just brought poor Archie back from his second tail amputation. He has to wear a collar for two weeks and is frantic to get it off. We are having to feed him prawns as he cannot seem to get at his food easily.
I would be so grateful if you have any tips to cope with the dreaded collars. Thanks